best available cop



Nov. 26 1929. F. B. ADAM ALL MASTER, MULTICONTACT, PILOT SWITCH Filed Dec. 1925 Patented Nov. 26, 1929 PATENT OFFECE Ami or s'r'. LOUISQMISlSOURI.

' ALiE MASTEB;JIFULTIQONTACT, Prior swrrcn My invention relates; :to improvements in all-master, multisoontaotfipibfi;Switches, especially designed; for: .usci in. connection 'yvith the control-ofstage: and auditorium lighting; Development of the controlmf stageg auditorium lighting of theaters, fraternal buildings and schools; has hrought into pommon use the method;:of=pilot control ,of light ing circuits jin which the lighting ,circui't, itself, is not interrupted or; broken at, the so;

called stage switchboard), locatedpn, the stage, but/ .15. broken fbioca r mote-s led} switch, mounted ;-in-; a'f-- tireproof ,va.l;lt 051 onclosure, from which fthe ,control .wiresflead to pilot switches atthe'stage. I This system, by the location-cf e gntrol,

switch. for ithe -primary. circuit freinote from the stage, has reduced the -firebazard and geemoved.- irom: the }sta'ge, ;and anditorium, the ac undesirable noises attendant the. operations of switches .of large, capacitieaandnby the employment of small capacity. pilot switches at the stage, resulted space economy at the stage switch board. It; has also. made. the control .of. lighting .effects more rapid and flexible, 'in that aselected'grou of;circ uits may be connected and controlle by amaster switch, and has given lighting. effects; that; can be set up in advance of actuallylbring ing them into play. I

The object of my'invention' isto provide a pilot switch for lighting systems, of and for the recited typeand purpose, WhiChjiS of simple, durable andinexpensive construc tion and which comprises :a.combination switchhousing and contact holder which is sectional, to-the end-that any. desired number of contacts may be assembled with, facility; a contacting rod, arranged Within the housing and-for engagement and disengagement with the contacts; ..a qui ck-break switch, operable with thecontactingrod; and a moving means, manual, magnetic or otherwise, connected .With the contacting rod ;-all of which are arranged inamannerto provide for the engaging of the-contacts and contacting rod, .prior to the closing of the .quick break switch, andv the disengaging of the contacts and contacting r0d after the opening of the quick-break. switch.

Appliciatioiifiled December-5,1925. Serial'No. 73,436.

. My-improvements consist in the novel con-1 struction, arrangement and combination of parts as hereinafter fully, clearly andgconcisely described, definitely pointed out in my {and claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which v Fig. 1 is a longitudinal, sectional elevation of a switch constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse, sectional elevation taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a transverse, sectional elevation I taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1 Fig.4 is a diagram showing, by solid lines, a contacting rod, with its current supply switch and operating means, and a number of disengaged contacts; and, by dottedzlines, showing the contacting rod moved to a position engaging the contactsiand the aforesaid switch in par-" tially closed position; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged, detail, sectional elevation of one of the contacts. I 1

Referring to thedrawing, A designates the housing which is a tubiform and, by preference, composed of a plurality of sections 6,- having perforated wings, 7, for stringing "on assembling rods 8. Piercing the housing at intervals lengthwise, are the openings, 9, for the reception of contacts B. Extended through the housing is a contacting rod, C, having spaced contact points, 10, and gaps, 11; and carried, at one end of the contacting rod, is a contact, 12, preferably of the brush type, as shown, for co-action with a fixed conducting plate, 13, and, at the other end, a means, D, for reciprocating the bar and switch.

By preference, the conducting plate is carried on the assembling rods 8, and insulated therefrom by fiber sleeves, 14, which also serve to space the plate from the housing A.

The means, 1), for moving the contacting rod, preferabiy consists of an operating handle 15, a link motion 16, a knuckle, 17, and an insulator 18. By preference, the connection between the knuckle and insulator is such as to permit the insulator and contacting rod to be rotated relative to the handle. By further preference, there is provided a support 19, for the handle and associated parts which support is connected with the assembling rods, 8, and which serves as a mounting for the whole device as by its connection with a switch cover 20, by means such as the screws 21. It is of course obvious that this means, D, need not be limited to a handle, for manual operation, but that other suitable means, such as an electro-magnet, maybe employed for moving the contacting rod.

The sections 6 of the housing A'are preferably formed by moulding," and the recited openings 9, for the contacts B formed in halves, by notching the opposed faces of each section, as shown. Electrically connected with the plate 13 is a stud 22, to which a conductor such as 23, is directly lead from a source or to a similarly constructed pilot Switch.

-Ihe contactors, B, as best shown in Fig. 5, each consist of an externally threaded, tubular housing, 24,, having, at one end, an exte'rnal thread 25 and, on its interior, an abutment 26. A contact plunger, 27, is mounted for both axial and rotary movements in the housing and is normally and yieldingly held partially projected from the housing by an axial spring 28. A nut, 29, on the threaded housing, 'co-acts with the flange, 25", for clamping thewhole contactor in the housing composed of the sections 6.

preference, thehead of the contact plu'nger'is rounded to the end that there will be a' minimum of wear on the contacting rod, and, by further 'preference, the contact plunger is decentered relative to the contact ing rod, whereby a movement of the contacting rod will tend to rotate both the contact plunger and contacting rod, and thus promote longevity and conductivity to both-of said elements'and produce a minimum of wear on the fixed conducting plate.

"A combination 'cap and terminal, 30, which is internally threaded, and provided with a knob,'3l, provides for the exclusion of dust and the like from the interior ofthe contactorand ready means for wire connection to and disconnection of the contactor.

As best shown in Fig. 4, the points, 10, of the contacting rod, are distantly related to the switch element, 12, in a manner to cause connection with the contactors, B, before connection is made between the switch element, 12, and the listed plate, 13, in making the circuits, and to break connection between the switch element and plate before breaking connection with the contactors in breaking the circuits, thereby avoiding arcing at the contactors.

I claim 1. A switch comprising a plurality of contacts, a feeder rod adapted to engage and disengage all of the plurality of contacts and a member operable by the feeder rod, adapted to connect said rod with a source of supply.

2'. In a switch of the class described, a plurality of contacts, a feeder member arranged for engagement and disengagement with said contacts, a fixed supply element, and a movable supply element, operable by the feeder member, and adapted to engage the fixed supply element.

3. In a switch of the class described, a pinrality of contacts, a combined feeder and contacting rod arranged to engage and disengage all of the plurality of contacts, a stationary supply member, a'movable supply member, electrically connected with and operable by the contacting rod, and means for moving the contacting rod.

4. In a switch of the class described, a sectional housing, contactors for extension through the wall of the housing, a current carrying contacting rod having alternate points and gaps, means for moving the contacting rod, and a switch operable by the contacting rod.

5. In a switch of the class described, a housing, a plurality of contacts piercing the wall of'the "housing, a current carrying contacting rod extended through the housing for engagement and disengagement with the contacts, means for moving the contacting rod to engaging and disengaging positions relative to the contacts, a fixed switch element, and a movable switch element operable by the contacting rod.

6.'Asw'iteh comprising a plurality of separate circuit contacts, a s'upply contact, and meansfo'r' simultaneously closing the separate'circuits in advance ofclosing the supply circuit, 'and'opening the supply circuit in advance'of opening the separate circuits.

7. Ina switch of'the class described, a plurality of contacts forindividual circuits, an element for simultaneously opening or closing circuit with said contacts, a supply member' operable by said element, and means whereby the circuits between the contacts and said element are closed in advance of energizing, said switch and opened subsequent to de= energizing said switch upon movement of said element.

8. In a switch of the class described, a contacting rod, 8. plunger, having its axis extending into the path of movement of said rod, and means relatin said plunger and rod for axial rotation of t e plunger by the rod, upon actuation of the switch.

9. In a'switch of the class described, the combination of a yielding and rotatable plungerand a reciprocable contacting rod, said plunger being deeentered relative to the contacting rod. w

10. In a switch of the class described, a tubiform housing comprising a plurality of notched sections said notches adapted to pro vide openings through the wall of said housing and a contactor adapted for extension through said opening.

11. In a switch'o the class described, a

plurality of notched sections, having openings therein, a contactor intermediate adjacent sections and resident in said notches, and a rod adapted for residence in certain of said openings and to maintain said sections and contactor in fixed relation.

12. A switch comprising a stationary feeding member, a rod-shaped supply distributing member disposed adjacent thereto, a resilient member at the extremity of said distributing member adapted to make wiping contact with said feeding member, a plurality of contact means disposed along the length of said rod, resilient means for normally biasing said distributing member out of contact with said feeding member, a housing adapted to surround said distributing member and comprising a plurality of sections of insulating material adapted to carry contacts, said contacts being disposed in decentered relation to the contact means on said rod, means for simultaneously biasing the distributing member in rotating, wiping relation with said stationary feeding member and the contacts of said distributing member in conducting relation with the contacts on said sectional housing, the rotating movement of said distributing member being produced by the co-action of said decentered contacts on said housing with the contact means of said distributing member, and means for retaining the distributing member in locked conducting relation with the feeding member.

13. In a switch of the class described, a contact member and a contacting rod adapted to be electrically connected with and rotated by the contact member.

14. In a multi-contact switch, a rotatable contact carrying rod, a plunger, and means relating said plunger and rod, and adapted to provide for rotation of the plunger, upon its axis, by the rod, upon actuation of the switch.

15. In a multi-contact switch, a reciproeating contact carrying rod, and means for operating said rod, said rod being rotatable relative to said operating means.

16. In a multi-contact switch, a movable contact member, a contact member arranged to be engaged by the movable member, each of said members being arranged for rotation about its axis, and means relating said members whereby, upon actuation of the switch, each of said members is rotated upon its axis, by engagement with the other member.

FRED. B. ADAM. 

